Your house is a very important asset of yours and the roofing of your house is the most important part of your house. A roof protects your house from different climate changes and works as a shelter for your house.
The hiring of a roofer is a very important decision that you should make after doing thorough research because if you have chosen the wrong person for doing this job, you can face serious issues with the structural design and construction of your house as well as the most important part of your house that is the roof. Selection of a roofer is a very critical task that you have to do very carefully.
Questions to Ask a Roofer
Most countries in the world have no rules and regulations regarding roofing contractors or roofers. That is why there is no defined code of conduct for roofers and this leads to difficult situations for the customers. Even if you become more meticulous while choosing a roofer, there is still a huge risk that you will not get the right person to do your roofing task. We recommend that you should ask them a list of questions to the roofer so that you can become aware of their work and assess them in a better way. Some of the most important questions you should ask the roofer are given below.
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Are you licensed/ insured?
The first important question you should ask a roofer is whether they are licensed or not. A roofer can only get a license after attaching himself to a board of licensed contractors. There are different types of permits for different roofing specialists.
Secondly, you should ask them if they have insurance or not. Having insurance makes them more credible in the eyes of customers because all these things require paperwork and documentation which only reliable roofing contractors get from the state departments.
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Do You Have a Local Business?
It is essential and recommended that you should hire a local contractor to do your task. It is suggested because a local business is easy to find in case of any issue. You should ask them about the physical location of their office and also make sure that they are located in your area or town to avoid any inconvenience in the future.
Some companies claim to work around the country and show that they are here to open a new office etc; however, they could be frauds or cons. That is why; you should beware of these types of roofers and should avoid working with them. They have no offices and they just work and vanish.
On the other hand, the local roofers will be registered and know the local rules and guidelines to follow. Also, they will be easy to track and find out in case of any issue with the roof. They will be mostly the experienced ones and they will know their work better.
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How many Years of Experience do you Have?
Another important question you should ask is about their experience. You should ask them how long they have been in business. The older the company is working in the market, the better customer reviews it will have. You can easily track the previous customers of that company and ask them directly about the quality of work and service standards of the particular roofing company.
Most of the time, new companies give you cheaper rates so that they can get more customers. However, this shows that they do not know how to price the jobs and ultimately they will not earn much profit to survive longer. Hence, choosing a new company will not be the right decision to make.
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What Warranties Do You Offer?
Roof warranties are for the safety of your new roof. There are two types of warranties that roofing companies offer. One is on the materials they are putting in to build the roof. The second type of warranty is related to the workmanship, the services a roofer is offering you.
A company that provides warranties is more reliable and credible. A reliable roofing company provides you with a minimum of 2 years’ warranty of workmanship and a lifetime warranty of the materials or products used. However, it is important that you read carefully what warranties are covered in the warranty document that the roofing company provides you.
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Can You Provide References?
This is a very important question. In fact, you should ask this question at the start of your search for a roofer. Once you get references from previous customers or projects the company has done, you can go and see for yourself what kind of service they have provided to the previous customers or what kind of work they have done so far. Make sure that you contact only those references that are 3 to 6 months old and not older than this.
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What Payment Options Do You Have?
You cannot predict what a roof repair or a roof replacement task will cost you. In the case of roofing, expenses vary widely. It is normal that you go over budget when it comes to roofs. That is why you should ask in advance about the payment options. You should select a company with flexible payment options so that you can receive the best services without going over the budget.
Concluding Comments
Every roof is different and so are the issues related to them. Much can happen while there is roof work going on. It is therefore important that you have an honest conversation with your roofer in advance to get to know any unanticipated issues like extra cost or more time than expected.
